Automatic apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpieces



y 6, 1969 c. SZENTKUTI ,4

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE TOP WORKPIECE FROM A STACK 0F FABRIC WORKPIECES AND FOR DELIVERING THE SEPARATED WORKPIECES Filed Dec. 22, 1966 Sheet of 5 INVENTOR.

CHARLES SZENTKUTI ATTORNEYS.

c. SZENTKUTI 3,442,505 FOR SEPARATING THE TOP WORKPIECE FROM DELIVERING THE SEPARATED WORKPIECES Sheet 2 A TTORIVEYSI x A 12E... E m Q 3 71.52%

May 6, 1969 AUTOMATIC APPARATUS A STACK OF FABRIC WORKPIECES AND FOR Filed Dec. 22, 1966 y 6, 1969 c. SZENTKUTI 3,442,505

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE TOP WORKPIECE FROM A STACK OF FABRIC WORKPIECES AND FOR DELIVERING THE SEPARATED WORKPIECES Filed Dec. 22, 1966 Sheet 3 of 5 INVENTOR.

CHARLES SZENTKUTI ATTORNEYS.

May 6, 1969 c. SZENTKUTI 3,442,505

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE TOP WORKPIECE FROM A STACK OF FABRIC WORKPIECES AND FOR DELIVERING THE SEPARATED WORKPIECES Filed Dec. 22, 1966 Sheet 4 of5 IFnus u I A TTOFrWE' Y5- 3,442,505 ECE FROM ING C. SZENTKUTI FOR SEPARA May 6, 1969 TING THE TOP WORKPI ES AND FOR DELIVER WORKPIECES Sheet AUTOMATIC APPARATUS A STACK OF FABRIC WORKPIEC THE SEPARATED Filed Dec. 22, 1966 HEQHUI] INVENTOR.

CHARLES SZENTKUTI ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,442,505 Patented May 6, 1969 US. Cl. 2711 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For automatic feeding of fabric workpieces from a stack one-at-a-time into a production line, a first clamp engages upon the top workpiece and a high friction surface engages this workpiece near the first clamp to move a localized region of it toward the first clamp, thereby separating a portion of this top workpiece from the next one. This separated portion is repositioned away from the next workpiece, and the exposed region of the next workpiece is engaged by a second clamp for holding all of the stack while the top workpiece is released. Delivery means completes the separation of the top workpiece from the stack and feeds it over to a delivery station.

This invention relates to automatic apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a station spaced from the stack in readiness for processing of the separated workpiece.

In the manufacture of garments, clothing, headgear, footwear, home furnishings, and the like, fabric workpieces of similar type and shape are often stored and handled in stacks. Such stacks may be temporarily bound or tied as a bundle for convenience in handling and in production the individual workpieces are suitably joined in combination with other workpieces from other stacks to form sub-assemblies or completed assemblies of the product. In such processing it is usually necessary to remove one workpiece at a time from the top of each stack and to deliver it to a desired station. These fabric workpieces may be in the form of individual cut pieces or each workpiece may include a plurality of pieces which already have been joined together by sewing or other attachment, so as to form a sub-assembly which is handled as a workpiece. Thus, the material of each workpiece may be in one layer or in multiple layers, and the term fabric workpiece is intended to encompass all of such types of workpieces used in the manufacture of the above types of products, and the like.

The steps of separating and moving the individual fabric workpieces are very diflicult to accomplish automatically and reliably in practice, because more than one workpiece may be removed from the stack at one time, or during the removal of a single workpiece the remaining ones in the stack may become displaced or disarranged in a manner such that they cannot later be properly or efiiciently handled. These difficulties arise because layers of fabric tend to cling together in an erratic and unpredictable fashion. Particularly, as a result of simultaneously cutting the stack from laid up layers their fibers tend to interlock and form a mechanical interlocking bond or strong friction bond which makes it diflicult to separate and remove only the top workpiece. Along the cut edges of a stack the fibrous ends of the threads interengage with the contiguous pieces above and below. This interengagement along the edges is particularly strong in a cut stack as it comes from the cutting room, because the cutting knife forcibly intertwines or interlocks the cut fibers.

Moreover, the fabric itself is permeable so that when vacuum is applied to the top workpiece in an effort to pick it up, the suction effect travels down into the stack and often results in the partial or complete lifting of a plurality of workpieces, some of which later tumble down in disarray. In order to differentiate the top workpiece from the stack reliably and repeatedly, it is necessary to break the bond or friction holding the workpiece together and to remove the top workpiece alone while at the same time retaining the remainder of the stack in proper arrangement so that the next workpiece may be removed easily and efiiciently in sequence. Under actual production conditions in handling the vast majority of stacks of fabric workpieces these problems have been' solved by using people to separate and deliver the top workpiece from a stack in the manufacture of the above products.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide automatic apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece without displacing the remaining stack and which will operate in a reliable, consistent, manner time-after-time under commercial production conditions.

In accordance with the present invention apparatus is provided for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a desired station in readiness for further processing, The apparatus comprises support means for supporting a stack of fabric workpieces, first clamp means engageable uon the top of the stack for holding the entire stack against lateral displacement, a friction member having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near the first clamp means, the high friction surface being movable by rotation of the friction member toward the first clamp means for buckling the top workpiece upwardly between the friction member and the first clamp means thereby to separate the buckled region of the top workpiece from the remainder of the stack while exposing a region of the remainder of the stack, second clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the remainder of the stack on the op posite side of the friction member from the first clamp means for holding the remainder of the stack in its proper position upon the support means, delivery means for delivering the separated top workpiece to a station spaced from the stack in readiness for processing of the separated workpiece, and drive means for sequentially actuating the first clamp means, the friction member, the second clamp means, and the delivery means.

Among the advantages of the illustrative embodiment of the invention disclosed herein are those resulting from the fact that the top workpiece is removed reliably and consistently time-after-time from a stack of fabric workpieces without delay, damage to the fabric, or significant displacement of the remaining stack of fabric and regardless of stack height within the range of operation. Thus, each workpiece of fabric is moved in a time saving manner and directly to a desired station in a predetermined time cycle.

The apparatus according to this invention is arrange so that each of the various elements, including the clamp means and friction member, remain in predetermined relationship to the top workpiece throughout the timed operation for differentiating and removing the top workpiece from the stack of fabric workpieces by an advantageous cooperative interaction of forces imposing compression, tension and shear stress upon the goods to break the interengagement or frictional bond. The breaking of the bond between the top workpiece and the remainder of the stack is accomplished in the illustrative embodiment by subjecting it to a compressive stress and a frictional tension lift while imposing a high degree of shear between a local region of it and the next workpiece to cause the local region of it to buckle and flip upwardly, and thereby exposing an area of the top of the next workpiece.

In this specification and in the accompanying drawings is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. However, it is to be understood that this apparatus disclosed herein is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the scope of the invention, but on the contrary is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use and will understand how to modify and adapt it in v-ariousforms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular production use.

The various features, aspects and objects of the present invention and its advantages will be more fully understood from a consideration of the best mode now contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention as set forth in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of automatic apparatus embodying the present invention for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a desired station;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the separating apparatus with portions of the delivery mechanism broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the separating apparatus;

FIGURES 4-7 correspond generally with FIGURE 2 and they show a sequence of operating relationships which occur during a cycle of operation, FIGURE 4 shows the engagement of the first clamp means and rotatable friction member with the top workpiece;

FIGURE 5 illustrates the process of separation of the local region of the top workpiece by the combined interaction of 'compression, tension and shear stress breaking the bondbetween it and the next workpiece in the stack;

FIGURE 6 shows the pick up of the separated top workpiece by the suction delivery mechanism while the remainder of the stack is restrained by the second clamp means;

FIGURE 7 shows the separating apparatus in the end of cycle position;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational sectional view of one of the fabric-engaging pick-up feet of the suction delivery mechanism in relation to the final workpiece of the stack on its support base;

FIGURE 9 shows a bottom view of the pick-up foot of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the delivery mechanism showing the opposite side from that seen in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 11 shows means for adjusting the horizontal spacing between the edge of the first clamp means and the bottom of the rotatable friction member.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a stack 10 of fabric workpieces 12 is held on support means 14 in the form of a table. These particular workpieces 12 are panels of cloth of a shape typically used in making pants or slacks, and as discussed above they are to be assembled with other workpieces later on during the manufacturing process. In readiness for such further processing the top workpiece 12a has been separated from the stack 10 and is being delivered over to a station 16 of the processing line, which includes a work-receiving table 18. It is to be understood that the invention enables many different sizes, shapes and weights of fabric workpieces to be separated and delivered from stacks automatically as described, and that the particular workpieces 12 are shown by way of example. Being relatively large, they are even more difiicult to handle than many other typical sizes and shapes of workpieces, and therefore serve as a good example of the the reliable, consistent operation of apparatus embodying the invention.

As illustrated most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 4-7, the apparatus includes first clamp means 20 in a position to engage firmly with the top of the stack for holding it against lateral displacement. A friction member 22 is positioned near the first clamp means, and it has a high friction surface 24 engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece 12a. This friction member 22 is a roller which has a high friction surface about only a part of its perimeter and is rotatable clockwise as seen in FIGURES 5, to move its high frictioned surface 24 in engagement with the fabric toward the first clamp means 20. On the opposite side of the friction roller member 22 from the first clamp 20 is positioned second clamp means 26 which isengageable with the exposed region of the remainder of the stack, as shown in FIGURE 6, for retaining it in position upon the supporting surface 14. Delivery means in the form of a suction delivery head 28 moves the separated top workpiece 12a as shown in FIGURES 6, 7 and 1, so as to carry it over to the station 16 spaced from the stack in readiness for further processing of this workpiece 12a.

The frame 30 of the apparatus as shown in FIGURE 2, is supported by a beam 32 and is adjustable in vertical position by means of a screw column 34 and lock collars 36' holding the frame 30 fixed in position. This frame includes a top plate 37 with a pair of spaced side frame members 38 secured thereto and supporting the various operating elements, as will be explained.

The first clamp means 20 includes a pressure bar plate 40 engageable on the top of the stack and having a projecting edge 41 (FIGS. 4 to 7) extending generally horizontally toward the bottom of the friction roller 22 in a direction substantially tangent to the bottom of this friction roller. The clamp bar 40 is attached to a plurality of support posts 42 adjustably held by set screws in sockets 43in a movable head unit 44. The friction roller 22 is mounted upon a rotatable shaft 46 journaled in this same head unit 44. Thus, the elevation of the bottom of the clamp bar 40 can be adjusted relative to the lower surface of the friction roller 22 as may be desirable for handling various types of fabric workpieces.

Also, the projecting edge 41 of the plate 40 of the first clamping means 20 is adjustable horizontally relative to the roller 22, as seen most clearly in FIGURE 11. The adjusting means include a pair of thumb screws for moving a slide member 47 relative to the main body of the unit 45. Index arrows cooperating with reference scales 49 provide the operator with an indication of the adjusted spacing. The adjusted spacing between the projecting edge 41 and a vertical plane passing through the axis of the roller 22 is a function of the characteristics of the materlal content of the workpiece. Generally speaking, this spacing is increased when the workpiece material is stiffer, and vice versa, and the optimum setting of the index arrow is determined by experience with each type of material.

The movable head 44 carrying the clamp pressure means 20 and friction roller 22 is raised and lowered by a pair of first arms 48 which are attached at one end to the movable head 44 by the pivotal shaft 46 of the friction roller 22 and are attached at their other ends to a cam shaft 50 (see also FIG. 3) extending through and supported by the side frame members 38. Directly above the arms 48 are another pair of arms 52 secured to the head 44 by a pivot shaft 54 and attached by pivots 56 to the side frame members 38. A counter weight 58 is adjustably mounted on the rearwardly extended end of each of the arms 52 in order to adjust the amount of force of clamp means 20 desired to hold the stack 10 of workpieces in place and to adjust the force exerted by the friction roller 22 on the top fabric workpiece.

As shown most clearly in FIGURE 2, the movable head unit 44 with the respective pairs of arms 48 and 52 and the frame member 38 form four-bar parallelogram linkages controlling the vertical position and movement of both ends of the movable head unit 44. These linkages assure that the friction roller 22 and pressure bar 40 are always in the desired aligned position with respect to the top workpiece 12a, regardless of the height of the stack 10, within the range of operation.

The second clamp means 26 comprise a plurality of fingers, as seen most clearly in FIGURE 3, mounted in blocks 60 secured to a pivot shaft 62 extending through between the side frame members 38. The second clamp means 26 move in sequence with the operation of the friciton roller 22 and pressure clamp bar 40 so as to engage upon the exposed remainder E (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the stack once the top workpiece 12a has been moved out of the way by the friction roller 22. A compression spring 64 presses down upon the clamp block 60 to provide the force exerted by the second clamp means 26. Extending through this spring is a rod 66 (FIG. 2) for maintaining the spring aligned in position, and this rod is screwed into a bracket 68 (FIG. 2) for adjusting the spring force.

In order to drive the apparatus, drive means including a motor 70 (FIGURE 2) and a gear box speed-reducing unit 72 are mounted upon the frame members 38. This drive means turns a shaft 73 carrying a toothed pulley wheel 74 driving a timing belt 76 which turns a toothed pulley wheel 78 (see also FIG. 3) secured to the cam shaft 50. The friction roller member 22 is rotated by being driven from the cam shaft 50. A pair of toothed pulley wheels 80 are secured to opposite ends of this shaft 50 to move a pair of timing belts 82 (FIGURE 3) which drive toothed pulley wheels 84 fastened to the ends of the roller shaft 46. It is to be noted that these toothed pulley wheels and timing belts provide a positive drive relationship from the drive shaft 73 (FIG. 2) to the roller member 22 such that the member 22 rotates the predetermined amount of one rotation for each rotation of the shaft 73.

At the end of each full rotation of the roller member 22, the drive means 70, 72 are shut off by a control switch 86 having an arm 87 with a cam follower roller 88 riding against a notched cylinder on the shaft 73. When the roller 88 drops into the notch, then the drive means 70, 72 are momentarily shut off by the switch 86. A similar cam-actuated switch, not shown, turns on the drive of the delivery means 28 at the time when the separation of the top workpiece has proceeded to a suitable stage in the cycle, as will be explained further below. Accordingly, the delivery means 28 is moved through its cycle, as will be explained later for delivering the workpiece 12a over to the station 16 (FIG. 1). When the delivery means 28 has completed its cycle of operation, then the drive means 70, 72 are energized to begin the separation of the next workpiece from the stack 10.

In order to raise and lower the head unit 44 carrying the first clamp means 20 and the friction roller member 22, the parallelogram linkage is moved up and down by a pair of cam-actuated levers 90 (FIG. 3) which are supported by sleeve bearings 92 upon the shaft '62 so that these levers 90 can move independently of the shaft 62. The outer ends of the levers 90 carry rollers 94 which are positioned beneath the first arms 48 for lifting the head unit 44 when the rollers 94 are moved upwardly by the levers 90. Mounted upon the inner ends of the levers 90 are cam-follower rollers 96 which engage a pair of cams 98 secured to the cam shaft 50 for lifting and lowering the first clamp means 20 and the friction roller 22. When the lobes on these cams 98 depress the rollers 96, they raise the head 44 against the force of gravity. When these cams 98 allow the head 44 to come down onto the top workpiece 12a, the amount of pressure exerted by the clamp means 20 and roller member 22 depend upon the adjusted position of the counter weights 58. Also, the relative pressures exerted by the clamp means 20 and by the roller member 22 are adjusted by changing the level of the pressure plate bar 40 relative to the bottom of the roller memher 22 by adjusting the support posts 42 in their sockets 43. The lower the plate bar 40 relative to roller member 22, the greater the relative pressure exerted on the stack by this plate bar 40, and vice versa.

For controlling the second clamp means 26, there is another cam 100 secured to the cam shaft 50 and engaging a cam-follower roller 102 mounted on the inner end of one of the blocks 60. When the raised sector of this cam 100 depresses the roller 102, it raises the second clamp means 26 against the force of the spring 64.

The high friction surface 24 of the roller member 22 includes material for providing a very high frictional grip upon the top surface of the top workpiece 12a. Such high friction material may be selected from the group-including stiff bristles such as wire bristles, sand paper, emery cloth, axially ribbed or roughened rubber, sponge rubber and the like. The purpose of this high friction material is to exert a greater frictional grip upon the region of the top workpiece 12a beneath the member 22 than the friction bond existing between the adjacent lower region of the top workpiece 12a and the next workpiece. Moreover, the frictional grip of the roller member 22 must be sufliciently strong to drive the localized region of the top workpiece toward the first clamp means so as to extract a localized region of the top workpiece and to flip it upwardly between the projecting edge 41 and the roller member 22, as seen in FIGURES 5 and 6.

The particular high friction material 24 or combination of material which is used depends upon the characteristics of the material content of the fabric workpiece. For most types of materials I have found that short wire bristles work to advantage, because they provide such a strong grip upon the top workpiece. In cases where the fabric is thinner and more delicate, then rubber having a roughened or axially ribbed surface may be used.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention the workpiece 12 are of relatively stiff, heavy fabric suitable for mens pants, and so it is desired to provide a vary large frictional grip to produce the separating action as shown. In this example the high friction surface 24 includes an area of wire bristles 104 (FIGURE 6) having their outer ends canted forward in the direction of rotation followed by an area of emery cloth 106. The wire bristles 104 are provided by cementing a strip of carding cloth or file card to the roller 22 with the bristle ends oriented forwardly as shown. The areas of bristles 104 and emery cloth 106 extend longitudinally for substantially the entire length of the roller member 22, and they extend only partly about the periphery of the roller member 22 so that the smooth, low friction portion of the roller does not tend to pick up the exposed area B (FIG. 5) of the next workpiece, also, the bristles 104 and emery cloth 106 project out to a larger radius than the smooth portion of the roller so as to yield a higher pressure on the high friction region of the roller. The lower surface of the plate 40 is usually approximately tangent to the high frictioned surface 104, 106.

The actions are as follows:

(1) The first clamp means 20 and the friction roller member 22 are lowered into contact with the top workpiece 12a as shown in FIGURE 4.

(2) The friction roller member 22 is rotating and buckles and pulls the top workpiece 12a so as to reposition a localized region up between the edge 41 of the first clamp means and the roller, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 (3) After an appropriate period of time such that an area E of the next workpiece on the stack 10 has become exposed by the movement of the top workpiece 12a, then the second clamp means 26 are lowered onto the exposed region B of the stack 10, as also shown in FIGURE 5, to retain the stack 10 in its desired location during removal of the top workpiece 12a.

(4) Now that a substantial amount of the top workpiece 12a has been moved up between the edge 41 of the 7 plate bar 40 of the first clamp means 20 and the roller member 22, the clamp means 20 and roller member 22 are lifted up to remove their pressure from the stack, as shown in FIGURE 6. The roller member 22 is still turning, and the second clamp means 26 is firmly pressing down upon the stack to hold it in place.

The delivery means 28 is brought into engagement with the top workpiece 12a, as shown in FIGURE 6.

(6) The delivery means 28 removes the top workpiece from the stack and delivers it to the desired location 16.

(7) After the departing workpiece 12a is completely separated from the stack 10, the second clamp means 26 are raised free of the stack, as shown in FIGURE 7, in readiness for the next cycle.

(8) The delivery means 28 returns to the normal rest position and a switch is thereby actuated to begin the sequence of steps over again.

The delivery means 28 may include any apparatus for gripping the top workpiece and taking it over to the work receiving station 16. In this embodiment the delivery means 28 comprises a suction manifold 110 to which is connected a flexible hose 112 (FIG. 1) extending from a suitable source of suction, such as a powerful suction blower (not shown). A plurality of suction cups 114 (see also FIGURES 8 and 9) are connected into this manifold so that a suction is drawn in the interior of these cups. As seen in FIGURE 8, these cups 114 include a rim 116 adapted to engage the top workpiece and defining an interior region 117. A hollow support 118 in the form of a tube communicates with the interior 117 of the cup 114. This tubular support 118 is connected to the manifold 110 by fitting the upper end of the tube through a pair of aligned mounting ports 119 in the top and bottom of the manifold 110.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the manifold 110 includes a relatively large number of these mounting ports 119 distributed throughout the extent of the manifold, thus enabling the number and positions of the respective suction cups 114 to be chosen as may be desired for handling a particular shape and size of workpiece 12. All of the mounting ports 119 which are not being used are plugged up by small plastic caps 120 to prevent leakage through them.

The shanks of the tubular supports 118 have openings 122 located within the manifold 110 to draw suction within the interior 117 of each suction cup. As indicated in FIGURE 8, the tubular supports 118 may be slidable up and down over a limited range within the mounting ports 119, thus enabling each cup 114 to seek its own level when brought into contact with the top workpiece. Thus, any minor local variations in stack height are accommodated, and the rim of each suction cup 114 can rest firmly upon the surface of the workpiece.

Directing attention to FIGURE 8 it is noted that the support surface 14 for the stack contains numerous apertures 124 to permit air flow to reach the bottom of the stack. The purpose of these air passages 124 are to enable the last few workpieces, particularly the very last workpiece 12 as shown, to be moved from the surface 14.

In order to provide a strong frictional grip to prevent the workpiece from sliding laterally relative to the suction cups 114, each of them contain wire bristles 104 canted forwardly and arranged in two segmental areas A and B on opposite sides of the mouth of the hollow support 118. These bristle areas A and B and the suction opening between them extend generally parallel with the desired direction D of movement of the cup 114 relative to the stack.

After the workpiece 12a has been partially separated from the stack 10, as shown in FIGURE 6, I have found that the most reliable and effective way of completing the separation is by a shearing action produced by the suction cups 114. That is, the motion of the suction cups 114 is generally parallel with the top of the stack so that the top workpiece 12a is dragged off of the next workpiece by shearing the friction bond between them.

The desired movement of the delivery means 28 may be produced by any suitable drive means. In this embodi ment the delivery means 28 is carried by a traveller carriage (FIGS. 1 and 10) having a plurality of guide rollers 132 running along astride a top rail track 134, which is mounted upon a box beam 136 attached to the main frame 30 of the apparatus. This carriage 130 is also guided by a slide bearing 138 (FIG. 10) which surrounds a guide rod 140 extending parallel to and located beneath the top rail 134. This guide rod 140 is held by a pair of end plates 142 and 143 which are secured by a pair of side braces 144 and 145.

The delivery means 28 is mounted upon a vertical rod 146 which is slidable up and down through a pair of sleeve bearings 147 and 148 secured to the carriage 130.

In order to control the upward and downward movement of the suction manifold 110, the upper end of the vertical rod 146 is attached to a cam-follower roller 150 riding upon a lift cam 152. This cam 152 has a horizontal shaft 154 which extends through the carriage 130, and the opposite end of this shaft has a pinion gear 156 (FIG. 1) secured to it for producing clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the cam 152.

A vertical rack 158 engages the pinion 156 and is mounted upon the carriage 130 so that this rack can be slid up or down, as indicated by an arrow in FIGURE 10. When this rack is moved up, it turns the cam 152 one full rotation in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 10, which moves this cam relative to the roller 150 until the roller occupies the position U on the cam. Thus, the vertical rod 146 and the delivery means 28 are raised to their upper position, which they occupy during the return movement of the delivery means 28.

When the rack 158 is moved down, it turns the cam 152 one full rotation clockwise in FIGURE 10, and this rotation locates the roller 150 at L on the cam. Thus, the rod 146 and delivery means 28 are moved down to their lower position, which they occupy when the delivery means is engaged with the top workpiece on the stack as shown in FIGURE 5 and also during the shearing action take-away stroke as shown in FIGURE 6.

In order to move the rack 158 up or down and also to move the carriage 130 out or in along the rail 134, there is a drive chain 160 which extends around four sprockets 161 mounted upon the respective side braces 144 and 145 so as to define a rectangular path having rounded corners. One of the links of this chain 160 is pivotally pinned to the rack 158, and the chain is driven by a motor 162.

As explained above, when the shaft 73 (FIG. 2) has turned a sufi'icient amount to separate a portion of the top workpiece 12a from the stack 10, as shown in FIGURE 5, a control switch energizes the motor 162 (FIGURE 1). At the same time a solenoid controlled air valve is actuated so as to apply suction to the hose 112. The chain 160 begins to revolve, with the link which is pinned to the rack 158 travelling down the vertical portion of the rectangular path near the inner end plate 143. This lowers the delivery means 28 onto the top workpiece.

Then the chain 160 moves the delivery means 28 over to the station 16. A suitably positioned electrical switch (not shown) located near the end plate 142 is actuated when the carriage 130 is positioned over the station 16, and this switch operates a solenoid controlled air valve so as to cut off the suction in the hose 112 and to open this hose to atmosphere. Thus, the suction air fiow into the suction cups 114 through the fabric workpiece 12a is stopped. Consequently the workpiece is released in the station 16, and as the pinned link moves up the vertical portion of the rectangular path near the outer end plate 142, the delivery means 28 is raised in readiness for its return stroke while in the upper position.

As soon as the delivery means 28 has returned to its initial position, the motor 162 is deenergized by a suitably positioned electrical switch (not shown) located near the inner end plate 143 which is actuated by the carriage 130. This switch includes additional contacts for energizing the motor 70 for starting the next cycle.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the automatic apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpieces of the present invention as described above is well suited to provide the advantages set forth. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that many possible embodiments may be made of the various features of this invention and the apparatus here described may be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, and that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and that, in certain instances, some of the features of the invention may be used without a corresponding use of other features, all without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece comprising support means for supporting a stack of fabric workpieces, first clamp means engageable upon the top of the stack for holding the entire stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction roller having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surfce of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, said friction roller being positioned near said first clamp means, means for holding said first clamp means and the bottom of said friction roller closely spaced at a predetermined distance one from the other, drive means for rotating said roller to turn said high friction surface toward said first clamp means for displacing an end portion of the top workpiece upwardly to a position between said friction roller and said first clamp means, the horizontal distance between the axis of said friction roller and said first clamp means remaining fixed, thereby to separate said portion of the top workpiece from the remainder of the stack for exposing a corresponding portion of the next workpiece on the stack, second clamp means engageable with the exposed portion of said next workpiece for holding the remainder of the stack upon said support means, delivery means engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece on the opposite side of said first clamp meansf romsaidfriction roller for delivering the separated top workpiece to a station spaced from said stack in readiness for processing of said separated workpiece, means for raising said first clamp means and said friction roller while said delivery means removes the top workpiece from the stack, and means for sequentially actuating said first clamp means, said friction roller, said second clamp means and said raising means and delivery means.

2. Apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece as claimed in claim 1, in which said delivery means includes a movable suction manifold having numerous ports therein, means for drawing a suction within said manifold, a plurality of suction cups selectively engaged with respective ports in a pattern conforming the arrangement of said suction cups to the configuration of the fabric workpieces being handled, and means for moving said suction manifold into a position near the top of the stack and for moving the manifold to said station removed from the stack for delivering the top workpiece to said station.

3. Apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said support means includes a plurality of apertures therein providing access for air flow to the bottom of the stack of workpieces, and said delivery means includes a suction member having a suction drawn therein with a suction mouth engageable with the top fabric workpiece, whereby said air flow to the bottom of the stack enables the last few workpieces in the stack to be readily moved from said support means by said suction member.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said delivery means includes a suction intake opening, means for drawing a suction in said delivery means, said suction delivery means being movable upwardly and downwardly and generally horizontally and drive means for moving said suction delivery means downwardly into engagement with the top workpiece for gripping said workpiece and then moving said delivery means substantially horizontally in a direction generally parallel with the top of the stack for dragging said fabric workpiece over to said delivery station, and said drive means elevating said delivery means during the return stroke of said delivery means.

5-. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpieces to a location removed from the stack comprising a movable head unit, first clamp means included in said head unit engageable upon the upper surface of the top workpiece for holding the stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction member also included in said movable head unit at a predetermined spacing from said first clamp means, said rotatable friction members having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, rotary drive means for rotating said fri-ction means, the spacing between the axis of said rotatable friction member and said first clamp means remaining constant in predetermined relationship, said friction member rotating in a direction to move the bottom of said member toward said first clamp means for buckling and flipping the localized region of said top workpiece upwardly between said rotatable friction member and said first clamp means to expose a region of the next workpiece on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means, drive means for moving said head unit toward and away from the top of the stack of fabric workpieces for engaging said first clamp means and said rotatable friction member against the top workpiece closely spaced one to the other, secon-d clamp means on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the next workpiece after the top workpiece has been buckled for holding the stack against lateral displacement, and delivery means engageable with the top workpiece in gripping relationship for delivering the top workpiece to said location remove-d from the stack.

6. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece comprising support means for supporting a stack of fabric workpieces, first clamp means engageable upon the top of the stack for holding the entire stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction roller having a high friction material forming part of its circumferential surface and having a smooth portion forming part of its circumferential surface, said high friction material projecting out to a larger radius than said smooth portion, said high friction surfaces being engageable With the upper surface of the top workiece near said first clamp means, said first clamp means projecting generally horizontally toward the bottom of said friction roller in a direction substantially tangent to the bottom of said roller and near to the bottom of said roller, drive means for rotating said roller one full rotation to turn said high friction surface toward said first clamp means for buckling and flipping an end portion of the top workpiece upwardly between said friction roller and said first clamp means thereby to separate the buckled and flipped end portion of the top workpiece from the remainder of the stack while exposing a region of the remainder of the stock, said high friction material extending around said roller a circumferential distance less than the length of said relocated end portion, second clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the remainder of the stack on the opposite side of said friction roller from said first clamp means for holding the remainder of the stack upon said support means, delivery means engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece on the opposite side of said first clamp means from said friction roller for delivering the separated top workpiece to a station spaced from said stack in readiness for processing of said separating workpiece, means for raising said first clamp means and said friction roller while said delivery means removes the top workpiece from the stack, and means for sequentially actuating said first clamp means, said friction roller, said second clamp means and said raising means and delivery means.

7. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece comprising support means for supporting a stack of fabric workpieces, first clamp means engageable upon the top of the stack for holding the entire stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction roller having a high friction material forming part of its circumferential surface and having a smooth portion forming part of its circumferential surface, said high friction material projecting out to a larger radius than said smooth portion, said high friction surface being engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, said first clamp means projecting generally horizontally toward the bottom of said friction roller in a direction substantially tangent to the bottom of said roller and near to the bottom of said roller, drive means for rotating said roller one full rotation to turn said high friction surface toward said first clamp means for buckling and flipping a localized region of the top workpiece upwardly between said friction roller and said first clamp means thereby to separate the buckled and flipped region of the top workpiece from the remainder of the stack while exposing a region of the remainder of the stack, second clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the remainder of the stack on the opposite side of said friction roller from said first clamp means for holding the remainder of the stack upon said support means, delivery means engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece on the opposite side of said first clamp means from said friction roller for delivering the separated top workpiece to a station spaced from said stack in readiness for processing of said separated workpiece, means for raising said first clamp means and said friction roller while said delivery means removes the top workpiece from the stack, and means for sequentially actuating said first clamp means, said friction roller, said second clamp means and said raising means and delivery means.

8. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece comprising support means for supporting a stack of fabric workpieces, first clamp means engageable upon the top of the stack for holding the entire stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction roller having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, said first clamp means projecting generally horizontally toward the bottom of said friction roller in a direction substantially tangent to the bottom of said roller and near to the bottom of said roller, drive means for rotating said roller to turn said high friction surface toward said first clamp means for buckling and flipping a localized region of the top workpiece upwardly between said friction roller and said first clamp means thereby to separate the buckled and flipped region of the top workpiece from the remainder of the stack while exposing a region of the remainder of the stack, second clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the remainder of the stack on the opposite side of said friction roller from said first clamp means for holding the remainder of ,the stack upon said support means, delivery means engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece on the opposite side of said first clamp means from said friction roller for delivering the separated top workpiece to a station spaced from said stack in readiness for processing of said separated workpiece, said delivery means including a suction member having a rim adapted to be positioned adjacent to the surface of the top workpiece, suction means drawing a suction within said member for holding the workpiece against said suction member, a plurality of wire bristles mounted on said suction member engageable with the surface of the fabric workpiece, said bristles being canted in a predetermined direction providing a high friction engagement force with the top surface of the workpiece in said direction, drive means for moving said delivery means in said direction substantially parallel with the top of the stack of workpieces for providing a shearing action to break the frictional bond between the top workpiece and the next one, means for raising said first clamp means and said friction roller while said delivery means removes the top workpiece from the stack, and means for sequentially actuating said first clamp means, said friction roller, said second clamp means and said raising means and delivery means.

9. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a location removed from the stack comprising a movable head unit, first clamp means carried by said head unit engageable upon the upper surface of the top workpiece for holding the stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction member also carried by said movable head unit and having a high friction surface engagable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, support mechanism for maintaining said movable head unit in alignment with the top of the stack of fabric workpieces for maintaining a predetermined orientation of the bottom of said first clamp means and the bottom of said rotatable friction member with respect to the top workpiece, rotary drive means for rotating said friction member in a direction to move the bottom of said member toward said first clamp means for buckling the localized region of said top workpiece upwardly between said rotatable friction member and said first clamp means to expose a region of the next workpiece on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means, drive means for moving said head unit toward and away from the top of the stack of fabric workpieces for engaging said first clamp means and said rotatable friction member against the top workpiece closely spaced one to the other, second clamp means on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the next workpiece after the top workpiece has been buckled for holding the stack against lateral displacement, and delivery means engageable with the top workpiece in gripping relationship for delivering the top workpiece to said location removed from the stack.

10. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a location removed from the stack comprising a movable head unit, first clamp means carried by said head unit engageable upon the upper surface of the top workpiece for holding the stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction member also carried by said movable head unit and having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, rotary drive means for rotating said friction member in a direction to move the bottom of said member toward said first clamp means for buckling the localized region of said top workpiece upwardly between said rotatable friction member and said first clamp means to expose a region of the next workpiece on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means, drive means for moving said head unit toward and away from the .top of the stack of fabric workpieces for engaging said first clamp means and said rotatable friction member against the top workpiece closely spaced one to the other, said movable head unit being supported by a parallelogram linkage for maintaining said movable head unit in alignment with the top of the stack of fabric workpieces regardless of the up and down movement of said movable head unit, second clamp means on the opposite side of said rotatable friction member from said first clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the next workpiece after the top workpiece has been buckled for holding the stack against lateral displacement, and delivery means engageable with the top workpiece in gripping relationship for delivering the top workpiece to said location removed from the stack.

11. In apparatus for delivering a workpiece from the top of a stack of fabric workpieces, delivery means for pulling the top workpiece away from the stack, said delivery means comprising suction means for drawing a suction flow, a member having a hollow interior communicating with said suction means and including a rim engageable with the top surface of the top fabric workpiece on said stack, said rim defining a mouth for suction inflow to pass through said mouth into said interior, a multitude of wire bristles mounted within said suction mouth and having their ends on approximately the same level as said rim, the ends of said wire bristles being canted forwardly in a predetermined direction, and drive means for moving said suction member in said direction as the top workpiece is pulled off from the stack, whereby the suction flow draws the top fabric workpiece firmly against said wire bristles to .provide a high friction force between said suction member and the top workpiece.

12. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a delivery station spaced from the stack, said apparatus comprising clamp means engageable upon the top workpiece for holding a region thereof against substantial movement, a friction member having a high friction surface engageable upon the top workpiece spaced from said clamp means, said high friction surface being movable toward said clamp means by rotating said friction member, rotation drive means for rotating said member in a direction to move said high friction surface toward said clamp means While said high friction surface is engaging said top workpiece for buckling a portion of the top workpiece upwardly between said clamp means and said friction member thereby to break the friction bond between said buckled portion of the top workpiece and the remainder of the stack, means for holding the remainder of the stack in place, means for raising said clamp means and said friction member away from the remainder of the stack with a portion of the top workpiece being raised therebetween, said rotation drive means continuing to rotate said friction member in said direction as said clamp means and friction member are raised away from the remainder of the stack, said rotating friction member having a high friction surface area extending only part of the way around its perimeter, said high friction surface area having a greater radius from the axis of rotation than the remainder of the perimeter thereof, and delivery means engageable with the top workpiece on the opposite side of said first clamp means from said friction member for gripping the top workpiece to complete the breaking of the friction bond between the top workpiece and the remainder of the stack for delivering the separated workpieec to a delivery station spaced from the stack.

13. Apparatus for separating the top workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece as claimed in claim 12 in which the lower surface of said clamp means is positioned approximately in a tangential relationship with said high friction surface area of greater radius.

14. Apparatus for separating the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces and for delivering the separated workpiece to a location removed from the stack comprising a movable head unit, first clamp means carried by said head unit engageable upon the upper surface of the top workpiece for holding the stack against lateral displacement, a rotatable friction member also carried by said movable head unit and having a high friction surface engageable with the upper surface of the top workpiece near said first clamp means, said movable head unit 1n cluding first adjustment means for adjusting height of the bottom of said first clamp means relative to the bottom of said rotatable friction member and including second adjustment means for adjusting the horizontal spacing between said first clamp means and the axis of said rotatable friction member, rotary drive means for rotating said friction member while said first and second ad usting means remain fixed in their adjusted positions and the spacing between said axis and said first clamp means remains fixed, said friction member rotatlng in a direction to move the bottom of said member toward said first clamp means for relocating a localized region of said top workpiece between said rotatable friction member and said first clamp means to expose a region of the next workpiece on the opposite side of sardaotatable friction member from said first clamp means, drive means for moving said head unit toward and away from the top of the stack of fabric workpieces for engag1ng said first clamp means and said rotatable friction member against the top workpiece closely spaced one to the other, second clamp means on the opposite slde of said rotatable friction member from s a1d first clamp means engageable with the exposed region of the next workpiece after said localized reglon of the top workp1ece has been relocated for holding the stack against lateral displacement, and delivery means engageable w th the top workpiece in gripping relationshlp for delivering tl11 e top workpiece to said locatlon removed from the stac 15. Apparatus for dilferentiatlng the top fabric workpiece from a stack of fabric workpieces, sa1d apparatus comprising clamp means engageable upon the top work-l piece for holding a region thereof against substantia movement, a friction member having a high friction surface engageable upon the top workpiece spaced fronclr said clamp means, rotation drive means for revolving high friction surface toward said clamp means w 1e said high friction surface is engaging sald top workp1e 1ie for buckling and flipping an end portion of the top wor piece upwardly to relocate said portion between salg clamp means and said friction member, thereby to brea the friction bond between said relocated portion of the top workpiece and the remainder of the stack, means for holding the remainder of the stack m place, means for raising said clamp means and said friction member away from the remainder of the stack with said relocated portion of the top workpiece being raised therebetween, and means for controlling said rotational drive means for providing one cycle of operation in which said frictlon member turns one complete revolution and then stops, the initial part of said revolution occurring when said first clamp means and said friction member are engaging upon the top workpiece, said friction member continuing to revolve to complete said cycle as said first clamp means and said friction member are raised away from the remainder of the stack.

16. In apparatus for delivering a fabric workpiece fr the top of a stack of fabric workpieces, delivery mean Pulling the p piece away from the stack, said delivery means comprising suction means for drawing a suction flow, a plurality of on cups connected to said suction means, each of said suction cups having a downwardly extending rim adapted to engage th top workpiece and defining an interior region, said suction means communicating with said interior region for dra iflg a suction flow into said interior region, mean for P ing a strong frictional grip to prevent the work- 15 piece sliding laterally relative to the suction cups comprising a plurality of short stiff elements mounted within the interior region of each suction cup and projecting downwardly to engage the top surface of the top workpiece when said rim is engaged with the top workpiece and said suction means is operating, and drive means for simultaneously moving said plurality of suction cups away from the top of the stack in a direction generally parallel with the top of the stack for pulling the top workpiece off from the stack, whereby the suction flow draws the top fabric workpiece firmly against said short stiff elements to provide a high friction force between said plurality of suction cups and the top fabric workpiece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1898 Jillson 271-21 1 6 5/1966 Southwell 271--19 5/1925 Bombard 271--36 4/ 1933 Cross 27121 10/ 1965 Goulewski 27136 9/ 1966 Nisula 271-26 12/ 1966 Haddad 27136 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1962 Germany. 5/1950 Great Britain, 9/1918 France.

RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

